Mahima--I am at the age where I seem to be ahead of others, but I move so slowly everyone is rapidly catching up! I have been an ardent Tolkien fan for over 35 years now and the magic of these works is still fresh. As many times as I have read LOTR, I can still be surprised by a new insight or emotion. I suppose that this timeless appeal is why there are web sites devoted to these works.

<BR><BR>Hello and welcome to TORC, <b>niphredilmaiden</b>. Another Kiwi? *sigh* i am perpetually in a jealous state when it comes to the kiwi's...which makes me a rather odd aussie, eh? ah, well...nice to meet you anyway<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0><BR><BR>What do you mean, no-one looks at the links in your sig, <b>Novice</b>? I looked at them...i just didn't post in any of the threads<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0><BR><BR>hey, <b>Caminx</b>, good to see you again!! where have you been hiding? <i>((HUGS))</i><BR><BR>

<b>Bigmama</b>, yes, stickies stay sticky because threads are sorted by date, and they have ones in the future. Only the Mods and Admins can make a thread sticky, so if you want something to be made into an Announcement (like mine at the top of this forum <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0>, or EntWifelost's guide to the Guilds forum) you'll have to ask a Mod to sticky it.

Roger, Wilco185. <i>Giggle</i>! Sorry, my precioussss...I couldn't ressssist.<BR><BR>Newbie question #--how many have I asked now, anyhoo? Well here's another: what time zone is this crazy site set on, anyway? I range anywhere between 3 and 5 hours off when I post.

<i>Roger, Wilco185..</i> <BR>Not the first time someone's said that <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif"border=0><img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0><BR><BR>TORC is based in California (is it LA? can't remember), and so is PST. That's 8 hours behind GMT, in the UK where I am. <BR><BR>So you're east coast, somewhere right?

I agree <b>BigMama</b>, each time you read Tolkien, its life taking a deeep breath of some amazingly-smelling air. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0><BR><BR><i>Roger, Wilco185.. <BR>Not the first time someone's said that </i><BR><BR>Hey, private jokes!!!Whats the History behind this??

Wilco185--Very perceptive! I live in the sunshine state of Florida, USA, home of many Gators. My sister, however, is a resident of Sawtry, Cambridgeshire, UK. I <i>love</i> your country--getting there from here is quite ghastly, however!

"Roger wilco" is a phrase used in military radio communications (in films, at least). "Roger" means "ok, message received", because in the early days of radio the letter R was the standard morse-code transmission to say you've received a message (R=roger in the old phonetic alphabet, like Z=zebra, F=foxtrot etc). "Wilco" stands for "will comply".<BR><BR>I suppose this explains why people misspell my name with a C instead of K so often <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0>.<BR>I never posted in the Bootcamp thread, I guess the phrase was used a lot there?<BR><BR>-----<BR><BR>Bigmama, I saw you mention in another thread that you thought the use of smileys looks a bit juvenile. I must admit, when I first got on the 'net I thought so too. I've changed my mind though, I think they can be an excellent aid to communication, if used properly. Probably moreso in instant-messaging, rather than on a message-board. They make me appreciate how much of the information in our conversations is transmitted by either non-verbal signals or by tone of voice. Even with people I know well, stark text messages can be misunderstood.<BR><BR>And on a message-board, if I want my exact intent to be universally understood, including by people who may be from a different culture and/or who don't have English as a first language, I've found I need all the help I can get. Especially if I'm trying to be funny or ironic. Or even be helpful without appearing to be condescending, say <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>.<BR><BR>Having said all that, I think many people do over-use them. I probably use too many when I post in this thread, but I figure it's better to be over-friendly than otherwise.

Not annihilated, surely! Maybe just a little singed... <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0><BR><BR>Actually, I felt much like wilko when I first came to the board, and I've also learned to value the non-verbal clues that can be substituted by a smiley. They tend to creep up on you though....I've found myself playing fast and loose with smileys on occasion -- usually after too much wine -- and posted more smilieys than words on occasion. Never a good thing!<BR><BR>But these days I find the abbreviations that are sometimes used instead of smileys more irritating. For example, I find <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0> much more palatable that "LOL" (Laughing Out Loud)....or even "ROFLOL" (Rolling On Floor Laughing Out Loud) --- because a smiley can convey mood and intent, whereas I think it highly unlikely than anyone really is Rolling On Floor Laughing Out Loud at a post.

i felt the same way when i first used the internet (not the board, which didn't exist back then, of course), but that was back when chatrooms were first invented, so it was all new anyway. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>

not much is up, i've been sick lately, and today is my 20th birthday, which is pretty neat. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> tell us about yourself, and we'll add it to the front page. you do want to be adopted, right?

<BR><BR>Hey, Welcome, Ugluk! I believe we've met, though from afar...guys, Ugluk is one of my fellow bards<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0><img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> Great to see you here! as the others said, please do tell us a bit about yourself.

Blackwood's ability to moderate in a moderate manner even when sorely tried by the silliness, rudeness and plain old laziness of some never fails to amaze me. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0><BR><BR>...just thought I'd comment, by the by...<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0><BR><BR>So where are all our adoptees? Lately I've been wondering what happens to those who post a hello here, return once or twice and then disappear. Are they wandering lost in the depths of TORC? Have we done badly by them as adopters and they've slunk off where we can't find them?<BR><BR>Where are you? We miss you and as warm and affectionate adoptors we'd like to know how you're doing.<BR><BR>Please phone home....<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>

i'm sure that they're just enjoying themselves, and are so wrapped up in other things on the site that they've forgotten. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>

Greetings Novice and fellow Bookworms! Just checking in to see if everyone is still prospering. I have been extremely busy enjoying my new grandson and have been neglecting to post. Hope all of you are well and looking forward to the holidays. It is very warm here in Florida and hard to remember that Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner! I have to sit under the air conditioner to drink my hot chocolate! Send me some snow!!

Oddly enough, there WAS snow in Victoria (my home state) last week, though the last two days have been gloriously summery (I've got a sunburnt nose to prove it).<BR><BR>A new grandson! Congratulations! <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0> Is he the first of his generation? My mother tells me that the birth of the first grandchild is even sweeter than the birth of the first child...I've got a bit of a wait for that experience.

Congrats <b>BigMama</b>!! <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0> I have four nieces and nephews from my sisters, and the amount of attention my Mom lavishes on them is really unimaginable. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>

*<i>Sandorf entered the room and looked around for a bit... It looks like a nice place to take a sit and enjoy a book after all that wandering outside. Hopefully he could find someone who knows the area better than he does. After taking a seat, he opens the book and start reading...</i><BR><BR>Hi everyone!!! <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0> <BR><BR>As you must notice, I´m a newbie to this land but also a book-eater (specially Tolkien works, The Silmarillion rules!!!! <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> )so I decided trying to find an adopter in here. I must confess I had been wandering from link to link and that is getting me crazy. All that information!!! I had read all the Welcome stuff and the first post here (really helpful, thanks wilko <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif"border=0> ) but I´m still feeling lost. Hope you understand my situation and don´t bother about answering my questions.<BR>Maybe be you could recommend me a thread where to start? What should be my next move?<BR><BR>By the way, as you surely notice, I´m not an english speaker. I´m from Argentina so spanish is my foreign language. So I beg your pardon in advance for my idiomatic mistakes. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif"border=0> <BR><BR>All the best for you and good luck.<BR>Sandorf.<BR>

Welcome to the Bookworm's gateway <b>Sandorf</b>! <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0><BR>Great to see a fellow "book-eater" in here. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0><BR><BR>And Adopters are for answering questions, so fire away.<BR><BR>Since you are fond of books and love the Silmarillion, may I suggest you browse "The Books (Tolkien)" Forum where you will find several threads discussing aspects of the Tolkien's books. <BR><BR><a href='"http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/categories.cfm?catid=27"' target=_blank> The Books (Tolkien) </a><BR><BR>You will find quite a few of us adopters posting there. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> See you around, and as I said please fire away any questions you might have in mind.

Thank you, Mahima!!! <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0><BR><BR>I will take a look and post something once I get into the atmosphere. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0> <BR><BR>I have been reading the role playing guidelines and I would love to give it a chance. Where should I start? I would appreciate if someone could give me directions to a newbie forum where the roughness of my style and lack of practice may pass unnoticed.<BR><BR>Thanks in advance, Sandorf.<BR><BR>

There are some specific threads for Role-playing for newbies in the role-playing forum, but since I'm not an RPer (Role-Player) myself, I really won't be able to help you much. We have several RPers in the Bookworms, so one of them will soon be around to give you a helping hand.<BR><BR>But I can give you an idea --> We bookworms (your official adopters <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0>), are holding a small role play as a Halloween Party. Its easy, light, and the rules are not enforced harshly. Further, its not too long that you won't be able to get into the flow of it quickly. It will be just like joining a party. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> I'm giving you the link below, just click on it and please do try your hand there.<BR>Hope to see you there! <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0><BR><BR><a href='"http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=25&threadid=72848"' target=_blank> All TORC Halloween Gala, hosted by the Bookworms. Open House! </a>

we'd love to have you in the Books Forum, <b>Sandorf</b>. with the Books there is an infinite amount of discussion, while with the films you have so many hours of footage with which to debate. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> welcome.